ಡಾ. ದೊಡ್ಡರಂಗೇಗೌಡ

The Hindu today reports Mr. Doddarange Gowda, MLC, finding a Kannada word on a wall in Egypt:

Speaking after inaugurating the Kannada Rajyotsava celebrations organised by Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) here on Thursday, Mr. Gowda said he had personally seen the Kannada word “Ooralli” (which means in a village) written on a huge wall constructed in Alexandria by ancient Greek ruler Alexander the Great in third century BC.

“The Kannada word ‘Ooralli’ is part of the remnants of 36,000 palm manuscripts that had been burnt in an accidental fire during Alexander’s time.

When the accidental fire destroyed much of the palm manuscripts, Alexander ordered his commanders to erect a huge wall so that the remnants can be magnified and reproduced on it. The palm manuscripts contained texts written not only in Greek, Latin and Hebrew, but also Sanskrit and Kannada. This proves that Kannada was in existence even in second century BC”, Mr. Gowda claimed.